Towards Net Zero Buildings and Infrastructure will investigate the critical role buildings have to play in the emergence of a net zero economy and the way in which businesses can benefit from the development of greener buildings and infrastructure.

Date: 25 Sep 2019

One Moorgate Place
Chartered Accountants Hall, 1 Moorgate Pl, London EC2R 6EA, London

BusinessGreen Leaders' Summit will bring together some of the UK's top green executives, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, campaigners, and politicians to explore the next phase of the net zero transition, the emergence of circular economy business models, and the impact of emerging clean technology

Date: 23 Oct 2019

The Crystal
One Siemens Brothers Way
Royal Victoria Docks
London E16 1GB, London

The BusinessGreen Technology Festival will provide technology providers and businesses of all stripes with crucial insights and guidance on how to embrace and drive the innovation necessary for the rapid development of a competitive 21st century economy.

Now in their fifth year, the BusinessGreen Technology Awards provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the cutting edge technologies and innovators that are working to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low carbon economy.

Cap-and-Trade

A mechanism for capping carbon emissions across an economy, cap-and-trade
schemes have emerged as the most widely-adopted means of putting a price on
carbon emissions.

Under carbon cap-and-trade schemes, a central authority such as a government
or international body sets a limit on the total amount of carbon dioxide that
can be emitted by an economy or group of companies.

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Those organisations covered by the scheme then receive emission allowances or
permits that are either issued freely or bought at auction. The total number of
allowances issued is equivalent to the agreed cap, meaning that any organisation
that exceeds its cap must buy in extra allowances from organisations that have
emitted less than their cap.

In effect, those exceeding their cap have to pay for the right to pollute,
while those who cut emissions receive financial rewards.

Advocates of the approach claim it is the most efficient means of curbing
carbon emissions as it encourages the economy as a whole to identify and invest
in the most cost effective means of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

A cap-and-trade scheme has been in operation in the EU since 2007 and similar
schemes are planned for other economies, including Japan, Australia and the US.

However, cap-and-trade schemes remain highly controversial with critics
arguing that they place an unfair financial burden on carbon intensive
industries, encourage firms to re-locate to countries without carbon pricing
mechanisms, and are less effective at cutting emissions than carbon taxes.